So Why Buy From A Breeder?

So you're wondering...WHY buy from a breeder. Certainly there are WAY cheaper dogs available on the internet. And you are also thinking that since you don't want to show or breed, why do you care where the puppy comes from.

Well just WHO do you think is the one doing indepth pedigree searches, genetic testing, health screening, and temperament testing, in addition to the proper whelping, raising and socialization of their litters? Not to mention all the courses we take on everything from the new vaccination protocols, to genetic testing to dietary requirements to training. And we are the ones offering lifetime support of just a call or e-mail away.

For instance, our litters are planned and done for a reason other than to produce income. And most often they are planned generations in advance. Meaning I will plan to breed "Susie Q" to "Mr. Almost Right" in order to take a puppy from that litter and eventually breed it to "Mr. Absolutely Right" to fulfill our goal of producing the puppy that most closely resembles perfection as outlined in the Standard Of The Breed.

Our goals for our puppies are #1 they are healthy. They must have health clearances for Eyes, Heart, Hips and Patellas. #2, they are biddable. Meaning they are intelligent, willing to please and easy to train. #3, they are oustanding examples of their breed. We use only show quality dogs in our program. We do not breed pet quality with dubious parentage. If you don't want a dog that looks like a Papillon, is the size of a Papillon and has a Papillon temperament, then go to a shelter for a cute little pet.

At our home, our puppies are born in our dining room, are neurologically tested and charted on a daily basis. When they leave here, they are temperament tested for absolute soundness, are vet checked, litter trained and, if weather permits, started on their housebreaking outdoors. They are also table trained and trained to come when called. They are NOT born into a filthy pen with 30 other dogs and ripped away from their dams at 4 weeks of age to make a cross country trip in the back of a truck only to be deposited to a cage in a pet store!

And oh for goodness sake - when a pet store tells you they "buy from breeders", don't be so naive! There isn't a reputable and ethical breeder in the world that would wholesale their litters to a pet store. The pet stores just don't want to use the term "puppy mill" anymore because of all the bad press the term has gotten. But if it looks like a duck, and walks like a duck and quacks like a duck....well you get the picture.

As in all things, you do get what you pay for. You wouldn't expect a Kia to look and drive like a Mazzarati. And you wouldn't expect to pay the same for them, would you? So why are there Papillon puppies on the internet for $350? Simply because they are not worth more because of their quality and pedigree.

The Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act was approved by Missouri voters and goes into effect Nov. 2010. It requires any breeder with more than 10 female dogs follow defined care standards. The Act stipulates that the breeders must provide sufficient food and clean water, veterinary care, sufficient housing (including protection from the elements), sufficient space for the dogs to turn and stretch freely, lie down and fully extend their limbs; regular exercise and adequate rest between breeding cycles. This seems so BASIC to me, that I'm actually shocked that an Act has to spell out what should be standard care of an animal. In addition, no one will be allowed to keep more than 50 dogs for breeding. Want to know what the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council had to say about this Act? That it some of the provisions were cost prohibitoive and would force licensed breeders out of business. I'm actually wondering what exactly is cost prohibitive...food?....water?...a roof over their filthy pens?

Let me point out one thing before these pityful pictures actually MAKE you run to a pet store to "rescue" a puppy, remember that with each puppy sold through a pet store, the puppy mill is therefore encouraged to produce MORE of the same - "Supply and Demand". I believe the only way to stop the senseless reproduction of these poor animals is public awareness. And that dear friends is my goal in this website. If you stop buying the product of puppy mills, they will no longer realize a financial gain and will go on to something else to make money. Hopefully something else that doesn't breathe.

See for yourself the difference between theirs and ours!

Their dogs are housed in these dilapidated cages...ours are in our home.